Slip elevator



March 1, 1938;

C. A. LUNDEEN SLIP ELEVATOR Filed Jan. 15, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1, 193.8. c. A. LUNDEEN SLIP ELEVATR Filed Jan. 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

Y 49u/ M Y ATTORNEYS March 1, 1938.

C. LUNDEEN SLIP ELEVATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 13, 1956 Sheets-Sheet 4 I lNvENToR.

ATTORNEYS lVlarcl'n-l,` 1938. c. A. LUNDEEN k SLIP ELEVATOR Filed Jan. 13, 1936 Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIP ELE-VATOR Application January 13, 1936, serial No. 58,907

6 Claims.

This invention relates to slip elevators for raising and lowering strings of pipe or rod in Wells and has to do particularly, although not exclusively, with structural details lfor satisfying special requirements in large elevators for handling very large pipe or casing.

An object of the invention is torprovide a particularly effective mechanism for automatically raising the slips of a slip elevator `in response 10 to opening movement of the elevator.

Another object is to reduce the force required to open a slipelevator of the type in which the slips are raised in response to opening of the elevator.

Another object is to provide a slip type elevator for handling very large pipe, which elevator is not of ungainly dimensions and weight while at the same time having ample strength to support heavy strings of pipe or casing.

Another object is to provide a lock for the latch of a slip type elevator, which lock can be adjusted to be self-locking when the elevator is supporting a pipe or can be adjusted to be non-self-locking if the additional safety of a self-locking latch is not required or desired.

Another object is to provide an elevator construction in which the links for supporting the elevator are positively retained in engagement with the link-engaging elements on the elevator and in which the strength of the link-engaging members is increased without materially increasing the size or weight.

Briefly, an elevator in accordance with my construction comprises a pair of body members hingedly connected together and adapted to be swung together or apart to engage or release a pipe, as the case may be. 'Ihe body members are provided with slips mounted on inclined seats so that when the slips are in lowermost position 40 with the elevator closed they grip a pipe. In order to position the elevator about a pipe to close and lock it, however, the slips must be in uppermost position, out of engagement with the pipe. In accordance with my invention, I automatically elevate the slips in response to opening movement of the elevator by providing a cam on each body slip by a spring. The springs, however, must not be capable of supporting the entire weight of the slips else the latter would not set themselves.

Heretofore, to the bestof my knowledge, it has been universal practice to support elevators on 5 links which engage ears or trunnions extending laterally from opposite sides of the elevator. With this construction the points of support are spaced outwardly a substantial distance from the periphery of the pipe engaged by the elevator. As l0 a result, there is a twisting or turning strain imposed upon the elevator tending to spread it at the bottom and compress it at the top. In order to resist these spreading and compressing forces, the elevator body must be made relatively heavy. l5 In large elevators for handling very large pipe or casing the weight and the lateral dimensions of the elevator may be become prohibitively great. In accordance with the present invention,

I reduce the weight and the lateral dimensions 20 of an elevator by mounting the link-engaging members on the upper end of the elevator closely adjacent the pipe-opening in the elevator instead of employing trunnions extending laterally from the elevator. My construction places the points 25 of support of the elevator closely adjacentthe pipe and greatly reduces the twisting strain on the elevator body, thereby making possible a sub-` stantial reduction in the size and weight of the body members. Furthermore, the link-engaging 30 members, being placed directly above the elevator, need not extend out an appreciable distance beyond the periphery ofv a pipe in the elevator, thereby reducing the space required for the elevator. 35

The exact manner in which all of the aforementioned objects may be achieved will be eX- plained in detail with reference to the drawings which illustrates the invention as embodied in a side door elevator. It is tobe understood, hoW- 40 ever, that various features of the invention may be employed in center latch elevators as Well as side door elevators and that the invention is not limited to the latter type.

In the drawings: f 145 Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a side door elevator in accordance with the invention, shown in fully open position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the elevator, with parts broken away to show details of construction, with the elevator in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the elevator in closed position, a portion of the elevator being broken away and shown partly in section to better illustrate the construction employed;

Fig. 4 is a detail section View illustrating the latch for maintaining the slips in retracted position, the view being taken in the plane IV-IV of Fig. 2 and showing the slip retained in retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the slip released;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View taken in the plane VI--VI of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the slips are mounted and partly supported by springs; and

Fig. '7 is a detail horizontal sectional viewshowing the construction of the adjustable lock on the door latch of the elevator.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the side door slip elevator therein depicted comprises a main body member I having hingedly connected thereto at one end a door 2. Thus the body member I is provided with hinge lugs or eyes 3 and 4, respectively, the door 2 is provided with hinge lugs 5 and 5, respectively, and a hinge pin I extends through the lugs 3, 4, 5 and 5 to pivotally connect them together.

The body member I is also provided with linkengaging ears or hooks I0, both of which are identical with each other and are positioned diametrically opposite each other on opposite ends of the body member I. As is most clearly shown in Fig. 3, these members Ill rise directly out of the upper end or edge of the body member I so that they Will be positioned relatively close to a pipe supported by the elevator. Each of the members Ill comprises a relatively heavy arm formed integrally with the body member I and comprising a vertical portion II rising out of the body member I and merging into an outwardly and downwardly curved hook portion I2 having a curved seat I3 on its under surface for contacting lifting links I4 (shown in broken lines in Fig. 3).

To provide support for the outer end of each member ID and to prevent escape of the link I4 from the seat I3, a latch I5 is provided which is pivotally attached by a pin I6 to the outer end of the arm portion I2 and is adapted to swing between an open position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) and a closed position (shown in full lines in Fig. 3). To facilitate the mounting of the latch I5, the outer end of the arm I2 is preferably bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby providing two walls between which the latch I5 is positioned. The slot or passage between the bifurcated ends of the portion I2 extends inwardly past the seat I3, as shown in Fig. 3, for receiving a short arm II on the latch I5.

When the latch I5 is in fully open position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the arm I'I extends downwardly across the opening through which the link I4 must pass to reach the seat I3. When the latch i5 is in fully closed position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the lower edge of the arm II is substantially flush with the seat I3. A spring catch I8 is provided for releasably retaining the latch I5 either in open or closed position, the latch being oscillatable about a supporting pin I9 and having a shoulder 20 adapted to engage against shoulders 22 and 23 on the latch I5. The catch I8 may be manually released by pressing it inwardly against the tension of the spring 24. However, it is purposely designed as shown to have no outwardly projecting parts which might be accidentally engaged.

When the links I4 are to be placed in seating position, the latches I5 are lifted into open position in which position they are retained by the catch I8. The links I4 are then pressed against the arm Il which rotates the latches I5 into the closed position (the shoulders 2li and 22 being slightly rounded to permit release of the latch I5 in response to substantial pressure against the arm II). Then when lifting force is applied to links I4 the latter pull up tight against the seats I3 and positively prevent the latches I5 from opening. Each latch I5 is provided at its lower end with a pair of laterally projecting lugs 25 having arcuate bearing surfaces 2 which slip over and engage complementary surfaces 28 on the body member I. With this construction as soon as sufficient tension is applied to the links I4 to flex the link-engaging members I the faces 21 on the lugs 26 seat tightly against the faces 28 on the body member so that further strain is distributed between the portion I I of the member I and the latch I5. This provides support on both sides of each of the seats I3 and makes it possible to make the portion II of lighter construction than would be necessary if the link I did not provide reinforcement as described.

When a link I4 is to be removed from seating engagement with the catch I5, the catch is depressed to disengage the shoulder 23 on the latch I5 and the link is pulled straight out, thereby swinging the latch I5 into open position as shown in dotted lines.

Both the body member I and the door 2 are provided with a pair of slips 30 and 3l, and 32 and 33, respectively, for engaging a pipe with which the elevator is to be used. The body member I and the door 2 are each provided with inwardly and downwardly tapered seats for slidably supporting the slips, the general shape of the slip seats being shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus it will be observed that the slip seats are stepped to provide two vertically spaced surfaces 34 and 35, respectively, and the slips are similarly stepped to correspond. To retain the slips in position on their seats a pin 36 (Fig. 6) is provided for each slip, these pins extending through holes drilled therefor in the body member I or the door 2, as the case may be, and also through holes provided therefor in rearwardly extending lugs 31 and 38 on each slip. 'Ihe central portion of each slip seat is recessed as indicated at 39 to provide room for the lugs 31 and 38. Pins 36 may be of reduced'diameter at their lower ends, as indicated at 40, to t in relatively small holes 4I provided therefor in the body member or door, as the case may be. By reason of the small end 43 a shoulder 40a is provided on each pin which rests against the edges of the holes 4I and prevents downward escape of the pin 36. The pins may be prevented from escaping upwardly out of the body member or door, as the case may be, by screw plugs 42.

As previously indicated, in very large size elevators the weight of the slips may be so great as to make it dicult to raise them into retracted position and it may be desirable in such instances to providey springs for partly supporting the weight of the slips. In the construction disclosed in Fig. 6, the spring means employed may be a helical spring 43 positioned about the pin 3S and compressed between the body member surrounding the hole 4I and the lug 38 on the slip.

To automatically raise the slips into retracted position in response to opening of the elevator, I

provide a cam 45 on the hinge eye 3 secured to the body member I and a cam 46 on the hinge eye 5 secured to the door 2, these cams being provided with cam surfaces 41 vextending helically in opposite directions about the hinge pin 1. The surface 41 on the cam 45 engages a shoulder 48 on the slip 3| in the door 2 so that when the door is opened the slip 3| is forced to ride upwardly along the cam 45. Likewise theslip 32 in the body member I is provided with a shoulder 48 which bears against the surface 41 of the cam 46 so that in response to opening movement of the door 2 slip 32 rides upwardly along the cam 46. To force all of the slips to move upwardly in unison with the slips 3| and 32, the slips 3|) and 3| are interengaged by a tongue and groove connection and likewise the slips 32 and 33 are interengaged by a tongue and groove structure. These structures are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Thus the slip 33 is provided with a tongue 50 engaging in a recess 5| in the edge of slip 32 and the slip 3| is provided with a tongue 52, which engages in a recess 53 in the slip 36.

When slip- 36 has been moved into uppermost position in response to opening movement of the elevator, it is retained in that position by a latch to be described later. Therefore., when the elevator is again closed the slip 36 remains in uppermost position until the latch retaining it is tripped. The slip 3| is likewise retained in uppermost position because of the engagement of the tongue 52 on slip 3| with the recess 53 in slip 36. Slip 32 is likewise supported in uppermost position by slip 3| through an arcuate finger or arm 55 (Fig. 1) on the slip 3| which engages with a shoulder 56 on the slip 32 in all positions of the door 2. Slip 33 is in turn supported in uppermost position from slip 32 because of the tongue 56 and the cooperating groove 5|.

The latch mechanism for directly supporting the slip 36 in retracted position will now be described with reference to Figs. 2, 4 and 5. It comprises a housing member 66 formed integrally with and extending upwardly from the top of the door 2 an appreciable distance. This housing member 66 has a slot-shaped recess in the upper end, in which the bifurcated upper end of a link 6| is positioned, for vertical sliding movement. The lower end of the link 6| is attached to the upper end of the slip 36 so that the link.6| and the slip 30 are forced to move upwardly and downwardly in unison (as shown in the drawings, the link 6| is formed integrally with the slip 36). A pin 64V extends through the bifurcated upper ends of the link 6| and Vthrough a journal provided therefor in a latch member supporting the latter for rotary motion with respect to the link 6| The latch member 65 is constantly urged into the position shown in Fig. 4 by a helical spring 66, which is positioned in an arcuate slot 61 in the latch and is compressed between one end wall 58 of the recess 61 and a pin 69 anchored to the link 6|. 'I'he latch 55 is provided with an arm 10 which extends almost but not quite into contact with a pipe positioned within the elevator, this pipe being indicated at 1| in Figs. 4 and 5. The end face 12 of the arm 16 is preferably convexedly curved in a vertical plane concentrically with respect to the pin 64 and is curved concavedly in a horizontal plane about the central aXis of the elevator so that it conforms approximately to the curvature of the pipe 1|. The latch 55 is also provided with an arm 13 having an eye hole 14 therein for the attachment of a line and having a shoulder 15 thereon adapted to rest against a stop member 16 on the housing 66.

To limit rotation of the latch 65 about the kin closed position.

pivot pin 64, a shoulder 11 is also provided on the housing member 66. The housing 66 is also preferably provided with an apron 18 to partially enclose and protect the arm 13 when the latch is in released position* ,As shown in Fig. 4, the slips are in retracted position and slip 39 is held in this position by engagement of the shoulder 15 on arm 13 with the shoulder 16 on the housing 60. The remaining slips are supported by virtue of the fact that they are connected to slip 36.

I'he slips may be released in either of two ways. One way is to' pull the arm 13 outwardly (as by a line attached thereto), thereby disengaging the shoulders 15 and 16 and permitting the arm 13 to rotate into engagement with the shoulder 11, as shown in Fig. 5. In this position the link 6| and the slip 30 drop until the slip engages a pipe positioned within the elevator.

The other way of releasing the slips is to move the elevator, after it has been enclosed around a pipe, upwardly along the pipe until the arm 16 at lthe latch 65 engages the coupling 80 on the upper end of the pipe. Thereafter a slight further upward movement of the elevator rotates the latch 65 about the pin 64 until shoulders 15 on arm 13 disengages the shoulders 16 on the housing whereupon the latch 65 and the link 6| are free to drop with the slip into pipe-setting position, as shown in Fig. 5.

By virtue of their weight, the slips drop very quickly as soon as the shoulder 15 is released from engagement with the shoulder 16, carrying the link 6| and the latch 65 down with them so that the arm 10 drops away from the collar 86 on the pipe, thereby preventing undue strain being imposed upon the latch mechanism.

After the pipe has been released and the elevator opened to remove it from the pipe, the slips are elevated automatically in the manner previously described and the upward movement of the slip 36 raises the link 6|, permitting the spring 66 to retract the latch 65 into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the shoulder 15 on arm 13 again engages the shoulder 16 on the housing member 1 66, thereby retaining the slips in retracted position until they are again purposely released.

Of course in any elevator, particularly any slip type elevator in which `the slips are wedge-d between the pipe and the body member and door of the elevator, the door must be positively and rigidly locked in closed position during a pipe lifting operation. Various door latches may be employed in the construction described but a particularly eifective one has been illustrated and is shown to best advantage in Figs. l, 2 an-d '7. Thus it comprises a latch 96 hingedly connected to one end of the body member by a pin 6| (Fig. 7) and adapted to engage shoulders 92 and 93 on the end of the door 2 when the elevator is The latch 96 is preferably provided with a handle 94 to facilitate opening and is constantly urged into locking position by a helical spring compresse-d between a recessed wing 96 on the latch and the body member i.

The rear faces of the shoulders 92 and 93 are rounded oif as shown in Fig. 1 and the front facesof the latch 96 are likewise rounded off so that when the door 2 is slammed shut the latch 96 is automatically forcedoutwardly by contacting with the rounded faces on the shoulders 93 and 94 to permit the latch to slip thereover. Of course, when the door is fully close-d the spring 95 snaps the latch over the shoulders92 and 93 into the position shown in Fig. 7, in whichg the rear substantially flat faces 91 of the latch engage against the front faces of the shoulders 92 and 93. The main portions of the front faces of shoulders 92 and 93 are slightly convex and concentric relative to the latch pin 9| when the door is in closed position to facilitate closing and opening of the latch.

However, in some instances it is desired that the latch be positively locked in closed position when the weight of a pipe is on the elevator, the weight of the pipe acting upon the slips of the elevator tending to open the door. To this end, I prefer to form a ridge 99 on the latch engaging face of the shoulder 92, which ridge instead of being rounded olf extends substantially straight, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The latch member 99 is provided with a screw |99 extending therethrough at the level of the ridge 99 on the shoulder 92 so that when its screw |09 is adjusted so that its end extends beyond the face 91 of the latch it contacts the ridge 99, as shown in Fig. 7. The ridge 99 is incline-d at suc-h an angle that in order for the latch to open the door must be fully closed. Therefore, if the latch is once closed and the slips set into engagement with a pipe the force of the slips acting between the pipe and the body member l and the door 2 tends to open the door, forcing the ridge 99 up against the end of the screw |99 and positively preventing any opening movement of the latch. However, after the slips have been retracted so that the door 2 can move into fully closed position, then the ridge 99 is displaced far enough away from the edge of the screw |09 to permit opening of the latch.

In case it is not desired to utilize the selflocking feature described, the screw |00 is simply turned out until its end is flush with the face 91, whereupon it forms no function in the operation of the latch and the latch may be opened or closed without the door 2 being in fully closed position so long as the opening pressure on the door does not produce sufiicient friction between the engaging faces of the latch and the shoulders 92 and 93 to prevent movement of the latch.

For purposes of illustration, the various features of my invention have been described as inco-rporated in a particular side door slip elevator. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the particular elevator construction illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention and the invention is therefore to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members, hinge means for pivotally connecting said members for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwardly inclined slip seats on said members, slips slidably supported on said slip seats for downward movement therealong into pipe-engaging position and upward movement therealong into retracted positions, and means on each of said body members defining a cam surface adapted to slidably contact a cooperating cam surface on a slip on the other body member, said cam surfaces being so inclined as to lift the slips they slidably contact in response to opening movement of said body members.

2. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members, each having hinge eyes thereon and a hinge pin extending through said eyes for hingedly connecting said body members together for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwar-dly inclined slip seats on said members, slips slidably supported on said slip seats for downward movement therealong into pipe engaging position and upward movement into retracted position, one at least of the hinge eyes on each of said body members having a cam surface thereon extending helically about the axis of the hinge and adapted to contact a cooperating cam follower surface on a slip on the other body member, the cam surfaces on the hinge eyes on the two body members extending in opposite directions about said hinge pin whereby said slips are lifted in response to opening movement of said body members.

3. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members, hinge means for pivotally connecting said members for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwardly inclined slip seats on said members, slips slidably supported on said slip seats for downward movement therealong into pipe-engaging position and upward movement therealong into retracted positions, means on each of said body members defining a cam surface adapted to slidably contact a cooperating cam surface on a slip on the other body member, said cam surfaces being so inclined as to lift the slips they slidably contact in response to opening movement of said body members, and latch means for releasably retaining said slips in retracted position during and following closing movement of said body members.

4. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members, hinge means for pivotally connecting said members for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwardly inclined slip seats on said members, a plurality of slips slidably supported on the slip seats on each of said members for downward movement therealong into pipe-engaging position and upward movement therealong into retracted position, means on each of said body members defining a camsurface adapted to engage a cooperating cam follower surface on one of the slips yof the other body member, said cam surfaces being so inclined as to lift the slips they slidably contact in response to opening movement of said body members, and means linking all of the slipson each body member together for simultaneous movement up and down in unison.

5. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members, hinge means for pivotally connecting said members for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwardly inclined slip seats on said members, slips slidably supported on said slip seats for downward movement therealong into pipe-engaging position and upward movement therealong into retracted positions, means on each of said body members defining a cam surface adapted to slidably contact a cooperating cam surface on a slip on the other body member, said cam surfaces being so inclined as to lift the slips they slidably contact in response to opening movement of said body members, and spring means for urging said slips upwardly into retracted position, said spring means exerting insufficient force to balance the weight of the slips.

6. A slip elevator of the type described comprising a pair of pipe encircling body members,

hinge means for pivotally connecting said members for relative swinging movement into closed and open positions, inwardly and downwardly inclined slip seats on said members, slips slidably supported on sai-d slip seats for downward movement therealong into pipe-engaging position and upward movement therealong into retracted positions, means on each of said body members defining a cam surface adapted to slid- 10 ably contact a cooperating cam surface on a slip on the other body member, said cam surfaces being so inclined as to lift the slips they slidably contact in response to opening movement of said body members, spring means associated with each of sai-d slips for individually urging each slip upwardly into retracted position,

said spring means exerting insuicient force to bala-nce the weight of the slips..

CHESTER ALBERT LUNDEEN. 

